The Little Moments
by Sylla Shadowfrost
Summary: From the arguements, to patrol, to all the years he was gone, it's just the little moments they had. Kopaka and Sayla, drabble


**Um, complete boredom, the song 'Your Guardian Angel' playing on repeat, suffering from HUGE writers block this story.**

**I don't own Bionicle, only Sayla, and Siahta. Enjoy peeps.**

* * *

Sayla Metru closed her eyes, and tilted her head back, so the sun hit her face, and she smiled. It was one of the rare days that the sun was shining brightly enough for it to even be remotely warm. She giggled slightly, and spun around, dancing to an imaginary tune around the mountain top.

"Sun shining so bright, golden light, so high above, shining down warmth and love," she said in a sing-song voice, making up words as she went, twirling and spinning around-only to collide with something rather hard.

"Oomph!" She grunted, as the impact knocked her down onto the ground, and she blinked owlishly, trying to find what she had crashed into.

When she realized it was an all too familiar figure, whom was looking none too pleased that the girl had run into his chest, she burst out in a fit of giggles, forgetting that both her forehead and her butt currently ached at the moment. "Sorry Kopaka!" She apologized through muffled giggles, though it was rather clear that she wasn't really that sorry. Icy blue eyes glared back at her, as the white haired youth rubbed his chest ruefully. "Be careful Sayla." He scolded her in his regularly icy voice. "You walked up here," Sayla objected, after dusting the snow off of her. "It's your fault you weren't paying attention."

"You were the one not paying attention." Kopaka objected flatly, and Sayla blinked and looked up at him for a moment. "I WAS," Sayla said slowly, brushing snow off of her face and out of her eyes. "But not to you."

Kopaka glared at the girl again, before making a small irritated noise. "You're impossible," He grumbled, and Sayla just grinned. "You've said that before." She told him lightly, spinning around again, then cart wheeling to back where she first started out, sending snow flying into the air, and all over the Ice Toa.

"Whoops!" Sayla giggled, seeing the expression on Kopaka's face, and the snow that now dusted his body. "Sayla," Kopaka growled icily. Sayla only grinned again, and walked over to dust him off, her hands gently moving over his armor, efficiently dusting off the snow. She looked up at him after a moment, a strange fondness in her eyes.

"You should wear snow more often, Kopaka," She told him seriously. "It looks good on you." Kopaka resisted the urge to roll his eyes and point out that he WAS the Toa of Ice, but held his tongue, and sighed softly, a ghost of a smile passing over his face at her antics.

Bubbly, warmhearted, gentle Sayla-though constantly making the villagers sigh at her lightheartedness and giggling, but they were undoubtedly fond of the girl. "Kopaka? Why did you come up here anyways?" She asked him, tilting her head. "Nuju wanted us to do some scouting. Matoro saw some Makua around here recently." He told her. She blinked, and nodded, all playful, childishness fading away.

Even though sometimes her lighthearted manner rivaled Pohatu or Lewa at times, Sayla knew when it had its place. "Okay. Shall we go?" She asked him, and he nodded. The two headed off, and began the patrol around the area, Kopaka walking in stiff silence. There was no need to speak, and he certainly didn't wish to. Half of the patrol went on as normal-nothing notable.

Sayla occasionally running off for a short distance, then coming back to Kopaka, and humming a variety of tunes to herself, Kopaka himself walking in his usual silence, though making sure that Sayla didn't poke her noise into something dangerous, like a Makua den.

According to Nuju, she had done that before, when she was younger, so he couldn't be too safe. Nuju-Sayla's father, and Siahta, her mother, would without doubt not be pleased if he had to come back with Sayla in a mess because he hadn't been paying attention to what she was doing. He shuddered at the thought-Nuju was bad enough when he was angry. Siahta was worse. And even more than that, Kopaka mused as he watched Sayla climb up a snowy slope ahead of them, it would be almost painful to see someone as bright and cheery as her be hurt, bleeding.

"Hey Kopaka!" She called out to him, waving one hand as she stood on the top of the ravine. "Come here-you've gotta look at this!" She insisted, her voice filled with almost childish excitement. Kopaka shook his head, and briefly wondered what it was that she wanted him to see, as he climbed up the snowy trail, careful to keep an eye on Sayla. "What is it?" He asked her, while he climbed, half heartedly wonder if he should just walk slower to annoy her. "Come look at the suns!" She exclaimed, almost bouncing with excitement. He sighed, and shook his head. Of course, it would be something like this. It always was something trivial that she found so fascinating.

There was a sudden growl, low, and feral, and a small shriek, that came from Sayla, and for a moment, his heart stopped beating. Then, a second later, it went into overdrive, as he charged up the rest of the climb, to see Sayla, sprawled on the ground, and a large Makua standing only a few feet away. Sayla looked terrified, as she scrambled backwards, and turned herself away, shielding her face as the Makua sprung forwards, lunging towards her, claws outstretched, nothing left but a few feet between it and its prey….

The Makua howled in surprise and dismay, as a wall of ice and snow intercepted it, shielding the terrified girl from the rahi. The Makua's head snapped in Kopaka's direction, finally catching his scent. The great cat growled, and went down into a crouch, tail lashing its flanks. Kopaka glared at the beast, furious, and snapped his blade forwards, cutting fur off of the cat, and sending a pulse of his element through the sword, turning the great cat into nothing more than a statue of cold glass.

"Are you okay?" Kopaka immediately turned to Sayla, whom was still on the ground, her eyes wide. If that cat had hurt her…

The snow barrier dissipated as Kopaka waved his hand briefly, as he knelt next to her. Then, to his surprise, she flung herself at him, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his chest, clinging to him. He froze in surprise, not sure if he should push her away, or hold her there.

Finally though, awkwardly, he wrapped his arms around her, patting her back uncertainly. They sat there like that for awhile, until Sayla looked up at him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Thank you," she said finally, her voice rough. He grunted, and stood up, not replying.

But the whole way back, she never failed to notice, his hand lightly brushing with her own.

_

* * *

__I will __never__ let you fall..._

* * *

He sighed as he walked down the beach of Ga-Wahi. This wasn't news he liked. At all. He frowned, and glanced down at the scroll in his hands. There had been a call for aid from another island nearby- which had no Toa.

So naturally, the Toa Nuva were the only choice for help, and as Toa, they could not ignore a call for help. Four Toa were asked to go-and the rest leave behind to guard the island. Normally, Kopaka wouldn't have a problem. It just meant that he would have to patrol someone else's Wahi while they were gone-and as long as it wasn't Tahu's, then he was fine.

But, what wasn't anticipated, was that Kopaka was one of the Toa selected to go. His teammates had decided it was best he go-along with Gali, Onua, and Tahu. Great. Not only did he have to leave, he had to have Tahu go along with him.

It made sense though, they all objected. He should. Tahu had Takanuva to look after things while he left. He had Sayla to protect Ko-Wahi. She had grown up enough to be able to take care of herself against most of the Rahi, and she undeniably could hold her own in a fight.

Lewa could watch Ga-Koro, and the fact that the village was mostly protected by itself also helped. Onu-Koro could easily be watched by Pohatu, who never had a problem with the idea, since he and Pohatu regularly visited the others Village.

But even after that, he still wasn't pleased with the idea. He didn't like the fact that Sayla was going to protect the village. Not that he doubted her, it wasn't that. She defiantly could hold her own. Just….he didn't like the idea.

"Heya Kopaka!" Sayla chirruped as he entered Ko-Koro. Obviously, he thought wryly, she had been waiting for him. Even though Sayla was a Toa, both Nuju, and Siahta told Kopaka, and Sayla, that it was not her place to be there, and to Kopaka's surprise, she agreed.

She was Toa Metru, she pointed out. And even though he didn't even know the difference, she was firm and stubborn that she would NOT attend the meetings. She didn't have a Koro, let alone one of the usual elements. Takanuva was the foretold Seventh Toa-so he was OK. But she always excluded herself from the group-whither because she firmly believed she should have nothing to do with their meetings, or that both Nuju and Siahta had restricted her from it, he didn't know.

"Sayla," He acknowledged briefly, his mind still whirling with what he had learned. "…You okay?" She asked him, her eyes now worried. Damn. He forgot how perceptive she could be sometimes. "I'm fine." He lied shortly, not wanting to deal with the bubbly girl.

"Kopaka…" she began, and he could feel some sort of worried scolding coming on, but instead she sighed, a frown on her face, clearly not pleased. "Fine," she mumbled, and with that, she turned around and walked away, making him feel a slight twinge of something-guilt probably. That only made him feel more irritable.

Since when did he feel sorry for what he said? He frowned, and continued walking. He needed to tell Nuju at least, that he was going to leave shortly. Even if he didn't tell her, Sayla would surely know from her father.

It was three days later that they were leaving-and during that period of time, Sayla never came in contact with Kopaka-something that both relieved, and bothered him. She usually hung around him for most of the day, and bothered him until she finally decided to do something else

. It was annoying, but he had gotten used to the daily ritual of it, so in a way, it had become a habit of his. So when she had broken it, it relieved him that she would not bother him about what was bothering him, but at the same time it bothered him, for whenever she would spot him, she would freeze on the spot, and turn on heel and walk in the opposite direction, something that he had never seen her do-let alone to him.

He woke early in the morning, and packed his things, ready to leave so that no questions were asked, and early enough to reach Ga-Wahi, where their ship was going to depart to the other island. He picked up his things, and left the hut, walking briskly out into the frigid morning air, heading for the gates of Ko-Koro.

"Kopaka." A soft voice stopped him dead in his tracks. No, no, no, NOT her, please. He didn't want to have to deal with this. He suppressed a sigh, and turned around. Standing behind him, shivering with cold, was Sayla.

"Go back inside Sayla," he told her quietly. "You're going to freeze to death." She frowned, and glanced at the pack slung over his shoulder. "Father said it was going to be today that you were leaving." She mumbled quietly, kicking the snow with one foot. So Nuju had told her then.

"You were going to leave without telling me weren't you?" She asked softly. Silence met her answer, and she knew she was right. She sighed, and glanced at him again.

"Don't you even have the slightest respect for me?" She asked him, and underlying of something else in her voice. He frowned at her expression, but didn't reply. "You could have at least told me you were leaving!" She burst out, her eyes filled with hurt. "Or am I just too annoying to bother with?" She asked finally, eyes on the ground. Kopaka frowned, and sighed, knowing that he was going to have to explain.

"You would have found out anyways." He pointed out. "Yeah, but at least you coulda told me Kopaka!" She glared, repeating her self. "Or does talking to me just bother you too much?!"

"…I was trying to prevent you from acting like you are right now." The words bowled the girl over, clearly. She stood, staring at him, surprised, and confused, and he could almost see the thoughts whirling in her head. Anger faded back into sadness, and she have him a soft, half hearted smile.

"…Thank you.." She murmured, but for what he was clueless. He simply nodded, and turned half way around. Suddenly, there was the crunch of snow underfoot, and the next thing he knew, a warm body was pressed against his, and two small arms were wrapped around him. He stiffened at the contact, but she didn't seem to notice, or care.

He stayed still, patently waiting for the girl to let go of him. "Be safe Kopaka," She whispered finally, her voice muffled by the fact that her face was buried in his chest. She looked up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"I don't think any of us would know what to do without you," she told him, mustering a ghost of a smile on her face. Trying to be brave, his mind told him quietly. She let go of him, and took a step back.

"Good luck." She told him finally, and her voice cracked. The next thing Kopaka knew, the girl had whirled around, and dashed back into the village. He stared after her for a moment, before turning around, and walking out onto the icy sheet of Ko-Wahi.

"….Thanks…."

_

* * *

__I don't know what I would do without you…._

* * *

Sayla Metru sighed, and swung her legs back and forth, as she sat on the wall that protected Ko-Koro from the outside world.

She was on watch-insisting she could do it alone tonight. The Matoran needed rest, she insisted to her Father, who after much persistence, gave in. _"You're looking for him again, aren't you?"_ He had asked her quietly as she left. She hadn't frozen, like she used to, she didn't lie, or get angry. She had simply nodded her head once, and had continued walking. She stared out into the night, eyes searching for movement-finding none. If it was cold during the day, it was absolutely freezing during the night. But she had remembered this time, and had brought a blanket, which she had wrapped around herself.

Taking watch was something she did often enough-it brought her peace of mind. But it also brought back memories. She remembered, back when she was younger, she would sit on the wall, and call down to Kopaka as he would walk into the village. She remembered sliding down a snowdrift, and sending snow spraying all over a less than pleased Kopaka. She smiled faintly at the memory, and hummed to herself. How long had it been, she wondered.

Two years? No, that couldn't be it. Three? Yes, yes, that's right. It would be three years tonight since he had left with three of the other Toa. She looked up at the moon, and her humming faded. It seemed like longer. She missed them all-especially Kopaka. Even if they annoyed each other to an extent, she had to admit, she really did like the ice wielder.

Her attention was diverted from her thoughts, as a sudden movement caught her eye. _Shhft! _There was an all too familiar sound of a bow string snapping, and a second too late Sayla caught sight of an arrow heading her way.

She flung herself to the side, but it was too late, and she let out a cry as the shaft pierced her chest. Sayla gasped as pain rushed through her, and she leaned forwards, only to cough out blood, and feel her eyes slide closed, slipping into blackness.

Her body fell forwards, off of the wall, plunging into the snow and ice below with a sickening 'Thud!'

A dark figure smirked as they saw the girl fall forwards, and land in the snow, blood pooling around her, as she did not get up. They slunk away, bow slung over their shoulder. Mission accomplished….

Sayla felt the shaft burning in her chest, and pain wracking her entire body, her head light. It was dark, and she was unable to move. So this was what it was like to die…

She inhaled, wincing as it felt like breathing in fire, and her mind slipped away into darkness.

_Kopaka…_

Three years. It had been three years since they had left. He took a deep breath, and exhaled, watching as his breath rose into the air as a white cloud. It was good to be home. He took his time trekking across the frozen tundra, as he relished the fridge air that surrounded him.

On the island they had been living on for the past three years, it was a temperate climate-nothing too hot, but nothing near cold enough for Kopaka to like. He nearly smiled as he saw the familiar sight of his village appear in the distance, and felt his pace pick up. As much as he hated to admit, he missed his home, and though he refused to admit it to himself, the bubbly, friendly girl who lived there.

Though, as he entered the village, he immediately knew something was off. There were cheers of greeting that their Toa had returned, smiles and quiet 'welcome backs'' from the Matoran, it didn't escape the Ice Toa that one figure failed to greet him-Sayla.

Maybe she had outgrown jumping on him whenever he came back from being gone for a long period of time, but still. He would have expected her to be the first person to greet him. The fact that Nuju and Siahta were missing as well, only added to the uneasiness building in him.

"Toa Kopaka," A quiet voice greeted him from behind. Kopaka turned around to see Nuju walking towards him, a troubled expression on his face.

"Nuju," Kopaka inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Where is Sayla?" He asked him, almost hoping that she was off on a patrol, which would be why she wasn't here. Nuju's expression turned even more troubled. "Kopaka…." He only sighed, and shook his head. "Come." It was not a suggestion. He turned, and walked slowly back to one of the huts in the Village, Kopaka following silently.

After ducking inside, he found Siahta, back to them, leaning over someone, who was laying in a bed, bloody bandages lying on the counter beside the bed. A sense of dread filled him, as he suddenly knew what was going on. Cautiously he approached the bed, causing Siahta to look up.

"Kopaka," she greeted quietly, her voice heavy. The Toa of Ice glanced down, and his dread was confirmed. Sayla was the one laying in the bed-bandages wrapped around her chest, and her right arm.

"One of Makuta's last minions." Siahta explained quietly, without him asking. "She took watch two nights ago, and they must have snuck up on her, and shot her. She fell from the wall-you know how she used to sit on the edge like that." Kopaka stared down at the girl-no, not really a girl anymore.

The child ness in her build had been lost, her body curving subtly, the curve of her face more defined. She lay almost peacefully in the bed, except for the crease in her forehead, as if she were thinking about something.

"She was waiting for you," Nuju spoke up finally, making Kopaka turn around to look at the Turaga. Kopaka frowned at the comment, knowing there was more to the statement than Nuju let on, but not quite sure what.

"Will she be okay?" Kopaka finally asked, glancing at Siahta. "I'm not sure," She admitted finally, looking down at her daughter. "The arrow punctured one lung, and came close to the heart." She told the Ice Toa. "There's a good chance she will-" Siahta cut herself off, closing her eyes, letting out a shaky breath.

"That' she won't make it." The words were quiet, but rang hollowly in his ears. That was it. Unable to take it any longer, he turned on heel, and walked out of the hut. He walked out of the Village, to the only place he knew he could manage to clear his head. Mount Ihu.

Sayla took watch, and was shot.

She already didn't have a good chance of surviving, and the fall made it worse.

He closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples, inwardly cursing himself. This was why he didn't like anyone close to him. People would die. Attachments weren't needed. They were a weakness. They played with your heart, and effected your judgment and thinking. But even after being so cold, shutting her out, she somehow managed to befriend him, and somehow, she became close to him.

It wasn't like any other of his brothers and sisters, the bond they had, and it irritated him to no end that he couldn't find a label for it. Pohatu had forced friendship on Kopaka. He was tough, and powerful, but not haughty. He was easygoing, and not naive or stupid. He was-grudgingly-one of the few people he could tolerate. He trusted Gali, and she understood him, and knew how to placate him, and how not to annoy him. But even then, their relationship wasn't like the-if you would even call it friendship- between him and Sayla.

It disturbed him to see someone like her laying there helplessly, like a broken doll. It didn't suit her. He sighed, and part of him regretted even letting the girl follow him around all those years ago. Of course, he would be concerned about her, even if he hadn't befriended her so to speak.

But not this way. It wouldn't concern him on this level, it wouldn't bother him to see her like that. He was the Toa of Ice, damn it! Emotions weren't supposed to bother him! He gave a growl of annoyance, and closed his eyes.

'_She was waiting for you.'_ Why? Why would she…he frowned, brow furrowing, as suddenly, it clicked.

"_Yeah, Tahu, he's an ice cube. But he's MY ice cube."_

"_Kopaka, come on! You gotta see this!"_

"…_be safe Kopaka."  
_

"_I don't think any of us would know what to do without you"_

Sayla was in love with him.

* * *

The next few weeks, Kopaka fell into a similar routine. Wake up, visit a still unconscious Sayla, do his duties as a Toa, patrol, then stay beside Sayla for another few hours, before all but forced to go home, and get a few hours of sleep, before repeating the process all over again.

As much as it irked him at times, when Pohatu came to visit Sayla and him as well, he would tease the Ice Toa, commenting that he was acting like a Makua protecting her kit, he knew it was true. But it didn't stop him from repeating the cycle everyday- waiting for Sayla to wake up, refusing to believe there was even a shadow of a doubt that she wouldn't make it. Sayla was stronger than that.

But even then, Siahta quietly told him, that the more time that went by, it was less and less likely that she would make it. He forced himself to accept that, but refused to dwell on it. She couldn't die damn it. Not when he had just come back. Not now. Not ever.

He sighed, and pushed open the door to where Sayla was, and his eyes fell on the girl as they always did, and a mix of pity and frustration stirred inside him.

She should've woken up by now. He sat down next to her immobile body, and resumed his brooding guard over her. He fell into his thoughts, still trying to sort out his thoughts which in the end, always involved Sayla in some way.

"…Ko..paka…?" A soft, cracked voice broke into his thoughts, and his gaze snapped to Sayla, tensing. Maybe he had imagined it…but no, he saw, her eyes were half lidded, heavy with sleep, and confusion.

Her lips curved into a sorely missed, familiar smile. "Don't tell me…you've been doing this for along time..?" She asked him, her voice barely audible, and rough from being unused. Even after that, he wanted to say yes, yes he had, but he was unable to say anything.

Her smile grew, and one small hand placed it's self on his own. "Quiet and mysterious as always huh? You haven't changed a bit," She teased, her eyes opening more.

"You okay?" He finally asked her, knowing it was a stupid question, but said it for lack of anything better to say. She coughed, but managed to sit up a bit.

"I was SHOT Kopaka. And I FELL from the top of the wall. I feel, and probably look, like I got mauled by a Makua, and you ask me if I'm okay?" She asked dryly, casting him a mock angry look. "The NERVE of you." She rasped, poking the Ice Toa in the chest.

The tension in his body disappeared, something that he wasn't even aware of, until it was released. She was still Sayla, the same old, friendly Sayla. It was like the three year absence of not seeing each other had disappeared.

Then, to her surprise, his arms wrapped around her, as he rested his forehead against her collarbone, breathing in her scent of mint and some sort of flower. He felt her stiffen up for a moment, before slowly wrapping her arms around him, and telling him with a shaky voice,

"I missed you too Kopaka."

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**Cheesy, crappy and totally pointless. But I've been suffering a MAJOR writer's block, and I need someone to pelt me with ideas for a story (ies) . So if you have any unused plot bunnies, hell, I could use them right now.**

**Um, yeah, this was kinda written for lack of anything else good to write, and because a few people asked if they were going to see more of Sayla in any of my fics. So, I figured, what the hell?**

**Yeah, Kopaka's a little OOC. Don't shoot me please! XD**

**And note: Just because, yes, she loves him, doesn't mean she's going to turn into 'OMG You hurt my Kopaka-kun!' And everything. That, and Kopaka hasn't admitted/implied or whatever that he loves her. She's his friend, and despite he's a little warmer to her, note he isn't all 'Mata Nui I love her with all of my being, she's my world and I want her to marry me, so we can have like fourteen billion kids!' So no bitching about that. Um, yeah. Don't shoot me for disappearing.**

**REVIEWS MY LOVES? I missed all so.**

**(DONATE PLOT BUNNIES TO THE POOR!!)**


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